Clothes wringer



C. ROBERTS CLOTHES WRINGER Jan. 12, 1932.

2 Sheets-Sheet Filed March 26, 1928 MAKE/V7019. (@HL 5 HUBER T5.

ATTORNEY C. ROBERTS CLOTHES WRINGER Jan. 12, 1932.

Filed March 26, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 //V Vf/VTOP. [HAIRL E5 ROBE/Q715- ATTORNEY Patented Jan. 12, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CHARLES ROBERTS, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO HARRY BOHN, OF DAYTON, OHIO CLOTHES WRINGER Application filed March 26, 1928. Serial No. 284,842.

This invention relates to clothes wringers and one object of the invention is to provide a wringer of such a character that the upper roller may be quickly and easily removed therefrom, for the purpose of removing articles of clothing which may have wrapped around the same, cleaning the rolls, making repairs or the like.

A further object of the invention is to provide such a wringer in which the upper roller will be retained therein by movable bearings, one at least of which may be moved to an inoperative position to permit the removal of the roller, and in which the spring means for pressing the upper roller toward the lower roller is so arranged as not to obstruct the space between the end members of the frame above the rollers.

A further object of the invention is to provide a wringer with a feeding device or guide to enable the clothes to be fed into the 'wringer without the hands of the operator coming into dangerous proximity to the rollers.

; Other objects of the invention will appear as the wringer is described in detail.

In the accompanying drawings Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a wringer embodying my invention; Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken lengthwise of such a wring'er; Fig. 3 is a front elevation of such a wringer partly broken away; Fig. 4 is a transverse section taken centrally through the wringer; Fig. 5

is a section taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 2; i and Fig. 6 is an elevation of the right hand end of the wringer, as shown in Fig. 2.

In these drawings I have illustrated one embodiment of my invention and have shown the same as comprising a main frame which i is preferably U-shaped in form and is here shown as comprising a single piece having a lower transverse member 1 and vertical end members 2 and 3. I also prefer that the frame shall be hollow and it is here shown as F channel-shaped in cross section, thereby affording the necessary strength and rigidity and also providing a space within which the controlling mechanism may be mounted.

The end members 2 and 3 are provided with vertical slots 4 and 5 to receive the shafts forming part of the rollers 6 and 7. These slots are of such a width that the rollers will fit snugly within the same but will have free rotation therein. Each end member is provided at the bottom of its slot with an open )earing, or half bearing, 8 and 9, upon which the shaft of the lower roller is supported. The upper roller rests upon the lower roller and the top of the frame is slotted, as shown at 10, to permit the withdrawal of the roller shaft from the end member of the frame. In the present instance, the top of the end memher 2 only is slotted and the rollers are withdrawn by tilting the same, as shown in Fig. 2, to move one end of the shaft out of the frame member 2 and then moving the roller lengthwise to withdraw the other end thereof from the frame member 3. The rollers are inserted in the frame by reversing this movement.

The left hand end of the lower roller 6 is connected with the driving mechanism, not shown, and it would of course be necessary to disconnect the same from the driving mechanism before the lower roller could be withdrawn.

The upper roller is retained in operative position by means of top bearings 11 and 12 which engage over the respective ends of its shaft. These bearings are movable and a yieldable device is connected therewith to cause them to press the upper roller yieldably against the lower roller. The top bearing 11 is movable lengthwise of the roller to an inoperative position which will permit of the upper roller being withdrawn. In the present construction, the bearings 11 and 12 are carried by arms 13 and 14 which are connected at their lower ends with the main frame in such a manner as to permit them to have vertical movement and to permit the arm 18 to have swinging movement. As here shown, each arm, 13 and 14, is in the form of a loop, or an elongated U-shaped bar, the upper transverse portion of which constitutes the bearing. This shape not only provides a convenient and inexpensive construction for supporting the top bearings but it also permits the arms to straddle the bearings 8 and 9 for the lower roller. The lower ends of the arms 13 and 11 are supported by pins 15 and 16 the ends of which extend beyond the respective members of the arms and are slidably mounted in vertical guideways 17 in the lower frame member, these guideways being here shown as formed between ribs formed integral with the side members, thus the arms and their bearings are capable of vertical movement and also of pivotal movement about the axes of the pins 15 and 16.

A resilient device of any suitable character acts on the top bearings 11 and 12 to press the same yieldably toward the lower roll. This yieldable device is preferably located below the rollers so that it will not obstruct the space between the end members of the frame and thereby interfere with the removal of the rollers. In the present construction, 1 have utilized a flat spring 18, the ends of which extend between the two parts of the respective bearing arms 13 and 14 and rest upon the pins 15 and 16, so that. when the spring 18 is under tension the pins and the arms will be forced downwardly. The ten sion 011 the spring 18 may be controlled in various ways but I prefer to provide a device by means of which this tension may be quickly and easily applied or relieved and, in the present instance, I have mounted a lever 19 at one end of the frame, as shown at 20, and have connected the inner end of this lever with the spring 18. In the construction shown, the inner end of the lever is provide with a transverse pin or trunnion 21 which rests in a recess or open bearing 22 formed in a lug 23 extending upwardly from the center of the spring 18. The lever is preferably in the form of a bell crank and the outer arm 24 thereof extends upwardly to a point near the top of the frame where it is acted upon by a cam 25 to move the lever about its axis. The cam is provided with an operating handle 26 and, if desired, the upper end of the lever may be provided with a roller 27 to contact with the cam. Vhen the cam is in the position shown in Fig. 2 the arm 19 of the lever will assume its uppermost position and the tension on the spring 18 will be relieved, the spring assuming the position shown in full lines in Fig. 2. When the handle of the cam is moved to an upright position the arm 19 of the lever will force the spring 18 downwardly to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2, thereby placing the same under tension. The cam 25 will, of course, cause different degrees of pressure to be exerted upon the roller when the cam is in different positions and, if desired, the contact surface of the cam may be stepped or provided with a plurality of recesses to receive the roller 27 and retain the cam in different adjusted positions, thereby enabling the operator to regulate the pressure on the roller according to the character of the articles which are being passed through the wringer. In order that the operator may readilyvdetermine what degree of pressure is being exerted upon the upper roller 1 have provided an indicating device which in the form here shown comprises a dial 40 mounted adjacent to the cam and provided with a plurality of indications, such as the words .released, light, medium, full. An indicating member or pointer connected with the cam cooperates with this dial and, in the present instance, I have utilized the handle 26 as the indicating member. To this end the handle has an enlarged portion provided with an opening 11 which will register with the corresponding indication on the dial when the cam is in any one of its several operative positions. It is important that the pressure on the upper roller should be relieved when the wringer is not in use but the operator will frequently neglect or forget to relieve this pressure. For the purpose of calling to the attention of the operator the fact that the upper roller is under pressure I have provided a signal which is here shown as an electric lamp 4.2 mounted on the end member of the frame adjacent to the cam and so controlled that it will be illuminated whenever the cam is ina position to subject the upper roller to pressure. In the present instance, a switch is interposed in the circuit, not shown, of the lamp and comprises two contact fingers 13 arranged to be simultaneously engaged by a contact member {1 1 on the hub of the cam, when this cam is moved to its first operative position, and to remain in engagement with the contact fingers in all positions of the cam until the latter is returned to its normal or released position. Thus when the work is completed the lamp will call attention of the operator to the pressure on the roller and by simply moving the handle 26 to its lowermost position this pressure may be relieved.

Preferably means are provided for lifting the bearing arms 13 and 1 1, and their bearings, when the tension of the spring 18 is relievxed and to this end I have connected with the arms 13 and 14, respectively, coiled springs 28 and 29, the upper ends of which are connected with the main frame. The spring 28 is connected at its lower end with the arm 13 near the inner edge of that arm and is connected at its upper end with the frame at a point adjacent to the inner edge of the arm 13 when the latter is in its normal or vertical position. Consequently the action of the spring on the arm tends not only to move the same upwardly but to tilt the same and swing the upper end of the arm and its bearing outwardly. The arm has on its outer edge a lug 30 the lower edge of which is inclined, as shown at 31, and this'lug contacts with a pin 32, carried by the main frame, to control the swinging movement of the arm. When the arm is forced downwardly the inclined edge of the lug will ride over the pin 82, thus forcin the arm into its vertical position and bringing the straight outer edge of the lug into engagement with the pin, which will thus hold the arm firmly in its vertical position. When the device on the spring 18 is relieved the spring 28 will move the arm upwardly to carry the straight edge of the lug past the pin and will then swing the arm outwardly to the position shown in full lines in Fig. 2. The spring 29 is connected at its lower end with the arm 14 near the transverse center thereof and is connected at its upper end with the frame in substantially vertical alinement with its point of connection with the arm. This spring does not not tend to tilt the arm 14 but on the contrary tends to hold it against tilting movement.

When the wringer is idle the cam is thrown to its inoperative position, as shown in Fig. 2, thereby relieving the pressure on the upper roller and displacing the top bearing 11 so that the upper roller may be removed if desired. When the wringer is to be used the cam is moved to its operative position, thus restoring the top bearing 11 to its position above the end of the shaft of the upper roller and causing both bearings to yieldably press the upper roller against the lower roller. These operations are controlled solely by the movement of the cam and if at any time during the operation of the wringer it becomes desirable to remove the upper roller, either wholly or partially, this can be accomplished by simply throwing the cam to its inoperative position and then lifting the roller. i

In the operation of a clothes wringer it is often necessary in the feeding of the clothes to the rollers for the fingers to be placed close to the rollers and, particularly in the case of a power operated wringer, there is danger of the fingers of the operator being drawn between the rollers. To avoid this danger I have provided the wringer with a feeding device or clothes guide by means of which the clothes may be guided between the wringer rolls without the fingers of the operator coming in dangerous proximity thereto. Preferably this feeding device or guide comprises an 1 inclined plate or guide bar 33 which is supported with its inner edge in proximity to the contacting surfaces of the rolls so that the clothes may be fed from the same into en gagement with the rolls. Preferably the guide bar is pivotally supported so that it per ends of the frame members.

can be easily moved to an inoperative position and, if desired, it may be so mounted that it can be moved into operative position on either side of the wringer. In the construction here shown, the guide bar is carried by a yoke 34, the arms of which are pivotally mounted on the respective end members of the frame, the arrangement being such as to avoid obstructing the space between the up- By arranging the axis of the yoke substantially in line with the axes of the wringerrolls the guide may be moved to an operative position on either side of the wringer. In the present construction, I have mounted on the yoke, adjacent to the inner edge of the guide bar, a small roller 35 which will contact with the upper wringer roll and will be rotated thereby. Consequently when the clothes are fed over the guide plate they will be engaged by the feed roller 35, carried between the same and the upper wringer roll and thus delivered to the two wringer rolls. \Vhen the device is movable into an operative position on either side of the wringer, as here shown, a roller 35 is mounted at each edge of the guide bar 33. The feeding device is held in its 0perative position, with the feed roller in contact with the wringer roll, by a spring 36 connected with one arm of the yoke and with the adjacent end member of the frame. By connecting this spring with the end member near the transverse center thereof, as shown at 37 in Fig. 6, it will act upon the yoke to retain the same in operative position on either side of the wringer.

While I have shown and described one embodiment of my invention I wish it to be understood that I do not desire to be limited to the details thereof as various modifications may occur to a person skilled in the art.

Having now fullydescribed my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In av clothes wringer, a frame comprising end members, the space between said end members being unobstructed at their ends, a lower roller mounted in said frame, an upper roller mounted in said frame in contact with said lower roller, bearing members to retain said upper roller within said frame, and a supporting device for one of said bearing members mounted for movement lengthwise of said roller to move said bearing member to an inoperative position which will permit said upper roller to be withdrawn upwardly from said frame.

2. In a clothes wringer, a frame comprising end members, the space between said end members being unobstructed at their upper ends, a lower roller rotatably mounted in said frame, an upper roller, said end members having slots to receive the shaft of said upper roller, one of said slots opening through the top of said frame, bearing members to engage the shaft of said upper roller and retain the same within said slots, and a supporting device for one of said bearing members mounted for movement about an axis transverse to said roller to move said bearing member beyond the end of said shaft and thus permit said upper roller to be withdrawn from said slots.

3. In a clothes wringer, a frame comprising end members, the space between said end members being unobstructed at their'upper ends, said end members having vertical slots and having bearings at the lower ends of said slots, a lower roller supported in said frame with its shaft in contact with said bearings, an upper roller supported in said frame with its shaft in said slots, bearings to engage the shaft of said'upper roller, means acting on the last mentioned bearings to yieldably press said upper roller toward said lower roller, and a supporting structure for one of said last mentioned bearings movable lengthwise of said shaft to move said bearing member to an inoperative position and permit said rollers to Y be withdrawn upwardly from said frame.

4. In a clothes wringer, a frame comprising end members, the space between said end members being unobstructed at their upper ends, a lower roller mounted in said frame, an upper roller mounted in said frame in contact with saidlower roller, bearing members to retain said upper roller within said frame, a movable supporting device for one of said bearing members arranged to move said bearing member lengthwise of said shaft to an inoperative position to permit said upper roller to be withdrawn upwardly from said frame, and means to yieldingly press said upper roller toward said lower roller.

5. In a clothes wringer, a frame comprising end members, the space between said end members being unobstructed at their upper ends, a lower roller mounted in said frame, an upper roller mounted in said frame in contact with said lower roller, bearing members to retain said upper roller within said frame, a supporting device for one of said bearing members mounted for movement in a direction to move said bearing member beyond the end of said shaft and permit said upper roller to be withdrawn upwardly from said frame. a spring arranged below said rollers and acting on said bearing members to move the same downwardly, and means to control the action of said springs on said bearing members.

6 In a clothes wringer, a frame, a roller mounted in said frame and removable: therefrom, and bearing members to retain said roller normally within said frame, one of said bearing members being movable lengthwise of said roller to an inoperative position to permit the removal of said roller.

7. In a clothes wringer, a frame, a roller mounted in said frame and removable therefrom, and bearing members to retain said roller normally within said frame, one of said bearing members being movable to an inoperative position to permit the removal of said roller, a spring acting on the last mentioned bearing member to move the same downwardly, and means controlled by the downward movement of said bearing member to move the same into operative relation to said roller.

8. In a clothes wringer, a frame, a roller mounted in said frame and removable therefrom, bearing members to retain said roller normally within said frame, one of said bearing members being movable to an inoperative position to permit the removal of sand roller, a spring tending to move the last mentioned bearing upwardly with relation to said roller, yieldable means acting on said bearing to move the same downwardly against the action of the first mentioned spring, and means controlled by the movement imparted to said bearing by said springs to move said bearing out of and into an operative position with relation to said roller.

9. In a clothes wringer, a frame, a lower roller rotatably mounted in said frame, an upper roller mounted in said frame for removal therefrom, bearing members to normally hold said upper roller against upward n'iovement, upright arms supporting said bearing members and mounted for substantially vertical movement with relation to said upper roller, means acting on said arms to cause said bearing members to yieldably press said upper roller toward said lower roller,

and means for imparting swinging movement to one of said arms to move the bearing member carried thereby into and out of an operative position with relation to said upper roller.

10. In a clothes wringer, a frame, a lower roller rotatably mounted in said frame, an upper roller mounted in said frame for removal therefrom, bearing members to normally hold v said upper roller against upward movement, upright arms supporting said bearing members and mounted for substantially vertical movement with relation to said upper roller, springs connected with said arms to impart upward movement thereto, a device acting on said arms to move the same downwardly against the action of the first mentioned springs, one of the first mentioned springs being so connected with its arm as to impart swinging movement thereto in one direction, and means controlled by the downward movement to the last mentioned arm to impart swinging movement thereto in the other direction.

11. In a clothes wringer, a frame comprising end members, each of said end members having a vertical slot to receive the shafts of upper and lower rollers, and one of said slots opening through the top of said frame, bearings carried by said frame to support the shaft of the lower roller, bearing members arranged to engage the shaft of the upper roller and movable with relation thereto to press the upper roller against the lower roller, arms supporting said bearing members and mounted at their lower ends on said frame for vertical movement, a spring arranged below said rollers and acting on the lower ends of said arms to move the same downwardly, means for controlling the action of said spring on said arms, means to swing one of said arms outwardly to move the bearing member carried thereby to an operative position when said arm moves upwardly, and means toswing said arm in the opposite direction to restore said bearing to its operative position when said arm is moved downwardly.

12. In a clothes wringer, a frame comprising end members, each of said end members having a vertical slot to receive the shafts of upper and lower rollers, and one of said slots opening through the top of said frame, bearings carried by said frame to support the shaft of the lower roller, bearing members arranged to engage the shaft of the upper roller and movable with relation thereto to press the upper roller against the lower roller, arms supporting said bearing members and mounted at their lower ends on said frame for vertical movement, a fiat spring connected at its ends with said arms to move the same downwardly, means to control the pressure of said spring on said arms, other springs acting on said arms to move the same ipwardly when the pressure of the first men- ;ioned spring thereon is relieved, one of said ;prings being arranged -to move the upper aid of its arm outwardly, and means acting n said arm when it is moved downwardly swing the upper end thereof inwardly.

13. In a clothes wringer, a frame comprisng end members, each of said end members raving a vertical slot to receive the shafts of pper and lower rollers, and one of said slots pening through the top of said frame, bearigs carried by said frame to support the .iaft of the lower roller, bearing members aringed to engage the shaft of the upper roller ad movable with relation thereto to press upper roller against the lower roller, arms ipporting the respective bearing members, .ns extending through the lower ends of to respective arms and projecting beyond .e same, said frame having guideways to reive the respective ends of said pins, springs nnected with said arms to move the same )wardly, one of said springs being so arnged that it will swing with said arm out the axis of said pin to move the bearg member thereof to an inoperative posi- In, a flat spring supported at its ends on a respective pins, means for controlling the essure exerted by said spring on said pins,

:1 means controlled by the downward movent of said arms by said flat spring to rere the last mentioned arm to its normal po- .4. In a clothes wringer, a frame comprisend members, each of said end members ring a vertical slot to receive the shafts of upper and lower rollers and one of said :s opening through the top of said frame,

rings carried by said frame to support the ft of the lower roller, bearing members arranged to engage the shaft of the upper roller and movable with relation thereto to press the upper roller against the "lower roller, arms supporting the respective bearing members, pins extending through the lower ends of the respective arms and projecting beyond the same, said frame having guideways to receive the respective ends of said pins, springs connected with said arms to move the same upwardly, one of said springs being so arranged that it will swing with said arm about the axis of said pin to move the bearing member thereof to an inoperative position, a fiat spring supported at its on said pins, a lug provided with an inclined edge, pin carried by said frame and arranged to be engaged by the inclined edges of said lug when said arm is moved downwardly and to restore said arm to its vertical position.

15. In a clothes wringer, a frame comprising end members, each of said end members having a vertical slot to receive the shafts of the upper and lower rollers, and one of said slots opening through the top of said frame,

earings carried by said frame to support the shaft of the lower roller, bearing members arranged to engage the shaft of the upper roller and movable with relation thereto to press the upper roller against the lower roller, upright arms connected with the respective bearing members, a flat spring connected with the lower ends of said arms, a lever connected with said spring between the ends thereof, a cam acting on said lever to control the action of said spring on said arms, and means to cause one of said arms to move its bearing member to an inoperative position when the pressure of said spring on said arm is re lieved and to cause said arm to restore its bearing member to an operative position when pressure is again exerted on said arm by said spring.

16. In a clothes wringer comprising a frame and a pair of rollers rotatably mounted in said frame, a clothes guide comprising a supporting structure having arms pivotally mounted on said frame and movable from one side thereof to the other, and a guide bar carried by said structure and so arranged that it will be inclined toward the bite of said rollers when located on either side thereof.

17. In a clothes wringer comprising a frame and a pair of rollers rotatably mounted in said frame, a clothes guide comprising a supporting structure having arms ivotally mounted on said frame and IHOViUlG from one side thereof to the other side thereof, a guide bar carried by said structure, and feeding rollers carried by said structure at the respective edges of said guide bar.

18. In a clothes wringer, a pair of rollers one of which is movable toward and from the other, a leaf spring arranged beneath said rollers and connected with said movable roller to exert pressure thereon, a lever acting on said spring near the center thereof to control the pressure on said roller, and a cam to actuate said lever. I

19. In a clothes wringer, a frame, a lower roller mounted in said frame, an upper roller 10 mounted in said frame for movement toward and from said lower roller and comprising a shaft, bearing members engaging said shaft, vertically movable supporting devices for said bearing members, a resilient device arranged beneath said lower roller and connected with said supporting devices to exert pressure on said upper roller, a single lever acting on said resilient device to control the pressure on both ends of said roller, and a cam to actuate said lever.

20. In a clothes wringer, a frame, a lower roller mounted in said frame, an upper roller mounted in said frame and comprising a shaft, vertically movable bearings for said shaft, a resilient bar arranged beneath said rollers, means for connecting the ends of said bar with the respective bearings for said upper roller, a lever pivotally mounted near one end of said frame and having a part acting on said resilient bar near the center thereof to cause the same to eXert pressure on said bearings, and means to control the action of said lever on said bar.

In testimony whereof, I aflix my signature hereto.

CHARLES ROBERTS. 

